Power-transmitting device for motor-vehicles.



l. C. NARBON- POWER TBANSNIITTING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLlcAlon FILED 1m29; |915.

1,211,335. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

fgcgms JACQUES CAMILLE NARDON, OF STIRESNES, FRANCE.

POWER-TRANSIVII'JTTING DEVICE FOR lVIO1OBPVEHICZIJEIS.v i

Specification of Letters Patent.

j Patented Jan. 2,1917.

Application filed January 29, 1915. Serial No. 5,034.

To all whom t may concer/IL:

Be it known that I, JACQUES CAMILLE NARDON, a citizen of the Republic of France, whose post-office address is 39 and 41 Rue de Neuilly, in Suresnes, Department of the Seine, France, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Power-Transmitting Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to devices more particularly used for transmitting power by friction from the engine to the driving wheels of a motor vehicle, but also capable of use for other purposes.

rIhe essential feature of the device herein described resides in that the friction clutch usually employed is dispensed with for throwing the motor in and out of gear.

The device is so arrangedthat, by means of the friction gear, any desired speed from a given minimum to a given maximum may be imparted to the driving wheels, in addition to which the device enables a directdrive to be established, when desired, between the power-shaft of the engine and the live axle or other driving shaft of the vehicle, in cases where the latter can be driven at top speed.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 illustrates more or less diagrammatically a power-transmitting device constructed in accordance with the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail view of the hook for locking the parts in disengaged position.

A casing 1 which contains the majority of the acting parts, is formed with four bearings of which one 2 for the power shaft 3, two others 4, 5 for the shafts 6, 7 of friction disks 8, 9 and another 10 for the driven shaft 11. The power shaft 3 is driven from an engine not shown, at any desired constant speed, and it carries a friction disk 12 as well as clutch-claws 13, the latter being integral with thev shaft or with the disk.

The power shaft 3 lis capable of a sliding` movement in its bearing 2, by means hereinvafter described, in such. a manner that, whatever may be its axial position, it remains connected with/the prime mover of the engine, neither of which latter are shown here.

On the casing 1 is pivoted at 14 a two-` arnied lever 15, one end of which is formed with an elongated slot in which is arranged at 6a of the shaft 6, and acts to shift the said shaft in its bearing 4, as hereinafter explained. The other end of the lever 15 is pivoted at 17 toa link 18. A similar lever 15a pivoted at 14a and fitted with a stud 16a, operating in a slot 16c in the bearing 5 and which fits into a groove, indicated at 7, of the shaft 7 acts to shift the said shaft in its bearings 5, as lhereinafter explained. The other end Vof the lever 15a is pivoted at 17a to a link 18a. The links 18, 18a are jointed together and to a two-armed lever 19 at 20 which latter is pivoted at 21 on a bracket 22.

0n the casing 1 is also pivoted at 23 a twoarmed lever 24, one end of which is formed with an elongated slot in which is arranged a stud 2 5 which fits into a groove ofthe shaft 3 and acts to shiftthe said shaft in its bearing 2, as hereinafter described. r1`he lever 24 is connected to the lever l19 by a link 26, lpivoted to both at 27, 28 respectively, the lever 24` being subjected to the' constant ystress of a spring 29, which tends to push the right-hand arm of the lever upward, and the left-hand arm downward. To the lever 19 is pivoted, at 30 a'rod 31 by means of which, through a pedal or some"` other suitable operating device 32, the lever;

can be forced downward, for the purpose hereinafter explained. The said lever 19' is likewise subjected to theconstant stress of a spring 33 held for instance, between two,

buffers of which one,"34, is pivoted at 35, while the'other 36 is in contact with an ec-l centric or cam 37 fast .on a shaft 38 to which lrotary motion may be imparted by hand compress the spring 33 more or less, on turning the shaft 38, for the purpose hereinafter v explained. ToV the end of the lever 19 may also be connected a. rod 39 by which the' lever may be operated, if desired. On the` shaft 38 is loosely fitted an arm 40 the end ward position, ars/hereinafter` explained.

As advantageously disclosed in Fig. 2, the

arm 40 of the hook is connected tota rod or any suitable device 80, whereby said arm may be oscillated from the shaft 38 to move.

the hookr 41 into,and 'out ofengagement l0()` Aof which is formed into a hook 41, which I may engage over the end'of the lever 19 for the purpose of holding it locked in a downdrive the live aXle in the case of a motor car, is mounted a friction disk 42 in such a manner that, by means of a spline 43, it'can be slid along the shaft while at the same time being Vcarried along thereby in any position it may occupy on the said shaft# The said disk is formed or provided with clutch claws 13a which can be made to engage the clutch claws 13 on the friction disk 12. 0n the hub 44 of the disk 42 is formed a lug 45 in which is fastened a rod 46 which passes through a hole in the 'casing 1 and is jointed, at 47, to a two-armed lever 48 pivoted at 49 to a link 5,0, which is itself jointed at 51 to a bracket 52. The lever 48 is connected to an operating rod 53, by means of which the friction disk 42 may be slid along its shaft 11 so as to be brought'into any desired position thereon, relatively to the other fricengaged from the friction disk 42.

tion disks 8, 9 and12. y y

The power shaft 3 and the driven shaft 11 which are independent, but in alinement with each other may be so arranged, for instance, thatV the overhanging end of the shaft 11 may take its bearing in the adjacent end of theshaft 3, for which purpose the said shaft 1l terminates in a trunnion 54 fitted in a hole 55 bored in the said shaft 3.

The operation is asl follows: Assuming the parts to be in lthe position shown and the driver wishes to impart slow motion to the driven shaft 11, the first operation is to throw the lentire device out of gear, that is to say, cause the friction disk 12 to be disengaged from the friction disks 8, 9 and the latter disks to be disengaged from the friction disk 42. For that purpose, he presses on the pedal 32, thereby causing levers 19 and 24 to move downwardlyin opposition to the action of the springs 33 and 29 respectively. The lever 19 draws the links 18, 18a upwardly to a slight extent and causes the levers 15, 15'L1 to move so that the shafts 6 and 7 are slid outwardly to a slight extent, carrying with them the respective friction disks 8, 9, which thus become disy At the same time, the lever 24 draws the power shaft 3 upwardly to aslight extent, whereby the friction disk 12 is carried with it, so that the said disk is also caused tobecome disengaged from the disks 8, 9. The next operation is to cause the friction disk 42 tol be slid along its shaft'll until it assumes, relatively to the disks 8, 9 the position requiredfor the speed to be imparted to the said shaft. For that purpose, he operates the rod 5,3 which causes displacement of the rod 46 connected to the hub 44 of the disk 42. When the adjustment is effected, the operator sets the rod 53 in position, by

any. means usually employed for that pur-V posefThe next 'operation is tov release the pressure exerted on the pedal 32 and in do ina-a raisers 19. 24 faced lackA info same time the latter are forced into engage-a ment with the disk 42.

The force of the springs 33, 29 is so calculated as to produce suflicient pressure of the disks Vagainst each other to cause the power of the shaft 3 to be transmitted to the shaft 11 without slipping. If desired, the said force may be varied. yBy way of an instance, a cam or an eccentric 37 may be fastened to a shaft 38 and thus be made to more or less compress the spring 33 by turning the said cam.

The pedal 32 may be held in its depressed position by means of any suitable or known device, such for instance as a hooked lever 40, the hook 41 of which may be made to engage over the top of the lever 19 when the latter is depressed by the said pedal.

wWhen all the friction disks are in contact with each other, the power shaft 3 transmits its motion to the driven shaft 11 at a speed depending upon the position of the disk 42 relatively to the center of the disks 8, 9, as will be readily understood.

When it is desired to change the speed, the disks are thrown out of gear with each other in the manner hereinbefore described and the disk 42 is shifted to another position corresponding to another speed, after which the disks 12, 8, 9 areagain made to engage eachother and the disks 42.

When conditions permit of the top speed being used,r the operations are as follows: Throw the disks out of gear and shift the disk 42 until its claws 44 engage with the claws 13 on the disk 12. The shafts 3, 11 are then coupled together and revolve at the same speed.

Claims:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of drive and driven shafts, stub shafts, movable transmission elements on said Shafts, levers arranged to shift said transmission elements,L al device connected to simultaneously actuante certain of said levers, means for normally acting to maintain said transmission elements in engagement, and means for adjusting said last-named means, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of aA drive shaft, stub shafts, movable'transmission elements on said drive and stub shafts arranged to be moved into and out of engagement, a driven shaft, a transmission element on' said drivenl shaft normally in engagement with the transmission elements on said stub shafts, slotted levers for shifting the transmission elements on said drive and stub shafts, means connecting said levers for simultaneous operation, and yieldable means operating in opposition to said last-named means for normally maintaining the elements engaged, substantially as described. d

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a slidable drive shaft, slidable stub shafts, transmission elements arranged between said drive and stub shafts, studs'on said drive'and stub shafts, levers provided with slots engaging said studs, means connecting said levers for simultaneous operation to shift said shafts whereby to engage and release the transmission elements, a driven shaft, and a transmission element on said driven shaft normally in engagement with the transmission elements on said 'stub shafts, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of slidable drive and stub shafts having each a groove therein, transmission `elements ,on said shafts, levers, studsv fitted in the grooves in said shafts and engaged for operation by said levers to shift the shafts, means connected to operate said levers, a driven shaft, and a transmission element on said driven shaftV arranged to engage said before-mentioned'transmission ele- Lso ments, substantially as described. y l

5. In a power transmitting device, the combination of a slidable drive shaft provided with agroove, slidable, stub 'shafts ar-i ranged angularly to said drive shaft vand provided each with a groove therein,'.trans mission elements arranged between said shafts, a driven shaft, a transmission element on said driven shaft adapted to be engaged by the transmission elements on lsaid drive and stub shafts, levers, studs fitted in the grooves in said drive and stub shafts and connected to move with said levers for shifting the shafts, means connecting said several levers for simultaneous operation, means for normally moving said levers to engage the transmission elements, and means for adjusting the tension of said last-mentioned means, substantially as described.

6. In a power transmitting device, the combination of a frame, a drive shaft journaled in said frame, stub shafts journaled in the frame angularly with respect to said drive shaft, transmission elements arranged to connect said drive and stub shafts, levers for shifting said transmission elements into and out of engagement, a toggle device connected to operate a pair of said levers, a connection between said toggle device and a third lever, means connected to actuate said toggle device, a driven shaft, and a trans-y mission element on said driven shaft for engaging the first-named transmission elements, substantially as described.

7. In a power transmitting device, the combination of a frame, bearings provided on said frame, a drive shaft and a plurality of stub shafts journaled in said bearings, transmission elements for connecting said shafts, levers connected to shift said transmission elements into and out of engagement, links connecting a pair of said levers, means coupled to said links for'. simultaneously oscillating the associated levers, a connection between a third lever and said means, yieldable meansv for normally maintaining the transmission elements engaged, a driven shaft, and a transmission element on said driven shaft arranged to engage said firstnamed transmission elements, substantially as described. l

8. In a power transmitting device, the combination of a frame, bearings in said frame, a drive shaft slidably journaled in one of said bearings, stub shafts slidably journaled in other of said bearings, trans- .mission elements on said shafts, levers for shifting the shafts in said bearings `to engage and disengage the transmission elements, interconnected links between the levers for shifting said stub shafts, a lever connected` to said vlinks, ya connection between said last-named lever and the lever for shifting saiddrive shaft, means for operating said several levers, means for restoring the transmission elements into engagement,

a driven shaft j ournaled inksaid frame, and

a transmission element on said driven shaftadapted for engagement with said firstnamed transmission elements, substantially as' described. Y .A

9. In a power transmitting device, the.

combination of a frame, bearings on said frame, a drive shaft slidably journaledv in one of said bearings and having a groove therein, a transmission element carried by said drive shaft, stub shafts slidably mounted in other of said bearings and provided each with a groove therein, transmission elements on said stub shafts for engagement with said first-named transmission element, levers, studs fitted in the grooves in said several shafts and connected to said levers for shifting the shafts axially, a toggle device connecting the stub shaft operating levers, means connecting said toggle device and the drive shaft operating lever for simultaneous movement, means for normally moving said levers to maintain the trans.- mission elements engaged, means for adjusting said last-named means, a driven shaft journaled in said frame, and a transmission element on said driven shaft adapted to engage with the above-mentioned transmission elements, substantially as described.

10. In a kpower transmitting device, the combination of a frame, bearings provided on said frame and formed with slots therein, a drive` shaft slidably mounted in one of said bearings and having an annular groove therein, a transmission element carried by said drive shaft, stub shafts slidably mounted in other of said bearings and provided each with an annular groove therein, trans- Y missionv elements on said stub shafts normally in engagement with said first-named Viraransmission element, studs slidable in the Vbetween said last-named lever and the drive shaft operating lever, means for simultaneously actuating said several levers, yieldable means for normally maintaining said levers in position to engage the transmission elements, means for adjusting said last-named means, a driven shaft journaled in said frame, a transmission element slidably mounted on said driven shaft and arranged to engage said several above-mentioned transmission elements, and means for shifting said last-named transmission elenient on the drive shaft, substantially as described.

11. In a power transmitting device of the character described, the combination of a frame, a drive shaft journaled in said frame, stub shafts also journaled in said frame, transmission elements mounted between said'several shafts, means for shifting said transmission elements into and o ut of engagement, spring means for normally maintaining said elements in engagef ment, a shaft, means on said shaft for adjusting said spring means, means for lock- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Yon said drive shaft, stub shafts journaled in said frame angularly to said drive shaft, transmission elements connecting said several shafts, means for shifting said transmission elements into and out of engage- Vment, spring means normally maintaining said transmission elements engaged, a shaft associated with said spring means, means on said shaft for adjusting said spring means, a latch device associated with said shaft for maintaining the elements disengaged, a driven shaft journaled in said frame, a transmission element slidably. mounted on said driven shaft and arranged to be engaged by said above transmission elements, a lever fulorunied on said frame and connected to move said last-named transmission element, and a connection for actuating said lever, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 141th day of January 1915, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACQUES CAMILLE NARDON.

Witnesses; c

R. H. BRANDON, A. V. DAvms.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. Y 

